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Arlington County NewsroomSun, 20 Jan 2019 13:32:40 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9Meet Arlington Fire Chief David Povlitzhttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/meet-arlington-fire-chief-david-povlitz/
Wed, 28 Nov 2018 18:57:37 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=19702When Fire Chief David Povlitz took the helm of the Arlington County Fire Department earlier this month, he brought with him more than 24 years of experience in fire, rescue and emergency medical services.

His career brought him from a firefighter/emergency medical technician in Maryland’s Anne Arundel County Fire Department ― where he retired as a division chief ― to the assistant chief of administration and process management in the Alexandria Fire Department.

Chief Povlitz sat down to reflect on his first weeks on the job and share his vision for the future of the Arlington County Fire Department.

Q: What drew you to a career in public safety?

A: I’ve always had a sense of trying to help. It was from my family and my upbringing; it was a sense of community. I have some very formative memories as a child of watching my parents, watching my family―if someone had rough times or needed help, everyone would rally around that person and rally around that cause. That planted a seed that has been with me for a long, long time.

I got a taste of [public safety] working a part-time job in college with hazardous materials response. I worked the superfund sites in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and a lot of my coworkers were involved in the volunteer fire service. So, I got involved as a volunteer firefighter, and I knew then that that was my career path.

Q: What made Arlington the right fit for you (and vice versa) at this point in your career?

A: What drew me into [the DC] area was the regional approach. A lot of us encircling the National Capital Region, the Northern Virginia Region, we viewed it as the model. So when the opportunity came to move closer to the region, I jumped. I was working in Alexandria, and I was an admirer from the south. I was able to see a lot of the Arlington County Fire Department responses on the borders. So, when this opportunity came up, it was full steam ahead.

I am extremely impressed with everyone I’ve met everywhere I’ve been―visiting the stations, having dinner with the shifts, and meeting everyone in headquarters and in County government. They’re top-shelf professionals who share a common approach and a common practice of trying to make the departments better, trying to make the County better.

Q: What are your first priorities for yourself and the Arlington County Fire Department as you begin your tenure in the County?

A: I have a lot to learn, and there’s a tremendous amount of help and support to bring me up to speed fast. We’ll probably put together a 2019 midterm plan. The first component is a community risk reduction assessment. What are the challenges that the community faces? And the neighborhoods? These communities and the County, are going to be changing over the next few years. How does that impact emergency service delivery?

Q: How do you hope to build on the Arlington County Fire Department’s strong legacy to best position the department for the future?

A: First off, I want to get a historical perspective. I’ve been talking with some of the past chiefs and some of the present leaders. I wanted to see what their perspectives were, what challenges they’ve faced over the past two, four, six years to get to this point. Also, a lot of things were already in process [when I got here]. There’s an incredible amount of just expert resources just arms lengths away, and I’m going to try to capitalize and get as much of their information and ideas as possible.

Q: Throughout your career also focused on relationships with public safety agencies statewide and across the region. How do you see those partnerships benefiting Arlington and the region?

A: We’re extremely fortunate that [our partnerships] are already very strong, and it’s just about building from that point. The way the emergency services system works in the Northern Virginia region, and also the [Metropolitan Washington] Council of Government’s region, everything is interconnected. Everyone knows their partners in the other jurisdictions in their specialties, and it’s simple to make a call, make a request, and resources flow, information flows. It’s the way emergency services regionally should work.

Q: What excites you most about working in Arlington?

A: The Arlington County Fire Department is very high level. The state of resources of facilities, the fleet, the high caliber of people―my imagination is continually spinning. I can see amazing things in the future. It’s also that wherever I’ve visited, traveled, or spoken [in the County], they have similar ideas. Everyone is thinking, what can we do next? How can this be better? That’s an amazing situation to walk into. Some of the programs and processes that are already in place are amazing, and they can be advanced. It’s really a wide, blue sky kind of environment.

Q: What do you want the Arlington community to know as you begin your work here?

A: It’s not about me personally; it’s more about the collective as a whole. It’s everyone doing the small things that make all the big things go so much better. It’s the small details to make sure our fleet is in the best maintenance state, is always ready and can be called at a moment’s notice. That makes the large incidents and the frequent incidents in emergency medical services calls that we provide all day long go so much better. We’re part of a system. Everything is tied in. And it’s been well functioning for a very long time.

I have observed a strong and established commitment from Arlington County government to public safety. It is very clear that all levels and roles of the department are dedicated to high levels of care, compassion, and urgency when providing emergency services. To that cause, there are constant discussions and circulating ideas on how to do things safer, faster, and with greater reach. That frame of mind and focus is what makes me proud to be part of the Fire Department.

]]>Fire Station #7 in Fairlington to be Temporarily Relocatedhttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/fire-station-7-relocation/
Thu, 25 Oct 2018 20:00:30 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=19209The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) announced Thursday, Oct. 25, its plans to temporarily relocate Fire Station #7 (Engine 107), at 3116 South Abingdon St., until further notice due to structural and safety concerns in the station. A recent engineering evaluation noted concerns with the station’s apparatus bay floor and whether it can support modern-day fire equipment. Part of the living quarters for the fire fighters is located below the apparatus bay.

Fire Station #7 serves the Fairlington area and parts of South Arlington, as well as neighborhoods in Alexandria and Fairfax (through a mutual aid agreement). The following fire stations will continue to serve the Fire Station #7 area:

“The Fire Department is committed to providing high-quality and dependable service to Arlington residents,” said Acting ACFD Fire Chief Joseph Reshetar. “The proximity of Fire Station 9 and our mutual aid agreements with Alexandria and Fairfax County will ensure that Fairlington continues to receive thorough fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coverage.”

County seeking possible rehabilitation and repair options

The County is conducting a more thorough inspection of the concrete slab to determine feasibility and extent of possible rehabilitation and repair options. The fire station is expected to be out of service until the analysis is complete. Fire Station #7 personnel and equipment will be moved to Fire Station #4 in Clarendon (3121 10th St. N) on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

Keeping Engine 107 parked outside of Fire Station #7 was not an option because of the colder weather. Dropping temperatures create freezing issues for the water stored in the truck for fire suppression and the medications that are kept on it for Emergency Medical Services.

Built in the 1940s, Fire Station #7 is the County’s only one-bay station where the apparatus bay is located above a lower level. The weight of engines housed at the station has roughly doubled since the station was built, including an approximately 60-percent increase in weight since the 1983 renovation.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), was LOOK. LISTEN. LEARN. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. The theme highlighted three important actions that families can take to ensure they are safe from fire: Look for places fire could start, Listen for the sound of a smoke alarm, and Learn two ways out of every room.

At the fire stations, community members were able to take tours, climb in fire trucks, and talk to firefighters. Arlington County personnel offered equipment demos, helped children shoot a fire hose, and snapped pictures with visiting families.

Chief Povlitz has more than 24 years of experience in fire, rescue and emergency medical services. During a 22-year career with Anne Arundel County Fire Department in Maryland, Chief Povlitz advanced through the ranks, starting as a firefighter/emergency medical technician, and retiring as a division chief. He then moved to Alexandria Fire Department where he currently serves as an assistant chief, focusing on administration and process management.

“Chief Povlitz has a track record of accomplished leadership and has established himself as a strong regional partner throughout his career,” said County Manager Mark Schwartz. “These qualities are critical in leading Arlington’s fire department, which not only serves this community but also is part of the larger system of prevention, planning and response in the metropolitan area.”

“I am honored to join the Arlington County Fire Department,” said Chief Povlitz. “ACFD is a national leader in fire and emergency services, and I look forward to continuing the department’s well-established track record, regionally and nationwide.”

Chief Povlitz’s background covers a range of areas, including budget development, information technology integration, emergency communications, training, and emergency management support. He also is an experienced incident commander, planning section chief, and operations section chief for large-scale incidents and complex events. He has more than 20 years of involvement with special operations including hazardous materials, collapsed building and rope rescue, as well as technical, marine, and dive rescue incidents.

In another key area, Chief Povlitz has strong relationships with city, county, state, and regional public safety agencies. He has served on various Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments committees and workgroups, in addition to the Baltimore Regional Urban Search and Rescue Team and the Baltimore Regional Incident Management Team when with Anne Arundel County. Chief Povlitz has also supported various volunteer fire and rescue organizations.

Chief Povlitz has a Master of Science in Management and a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science, both from the University of Maryland. He lives with his wife in Tracy’s Landing, Maryland, and they have two children.

]]>MEDIA ALERT: Arlington Remembers 9/11https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/media-alert-arlington-remembers-9-11-2/
Fri, 07 Sep 2018 13:00:36 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=18462Arlington County Government invites residents and community members to join neighbors, County officials and first responders as we commemorate the lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and express gratitude to all those who responded that day.

The County’s wreath-laying ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the Bozman Government Center. A moment of silence will be held at 9:37 a.m., the moment when the plane struck the Pentagon and 184 lives were lost.

WHAT: Arlington County’s annual remembrance of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, with wreath-laying and remarks

WHO: Captain David Santini of the Arlington County Fire Department will offer welcoming remarks. County Manager Mark Schwartz, the Chiefs of Police and Fire and the Sheriff, along with other senior officials and representatives of the U.S. military in attendance.

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 11, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Bozman Government Center, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., at the outdoor plaza flagpoles (above the Court House Metrorail station). In the case of severe weather, the ceremony will be held in the first-floor lobby of the Bozman Government Center.

It may have taken 126 years for the Stanley Cup to come to Arlington, but it was well worth the wait.

A bit more than a week after winning the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup, the Washington Capitals started their summer celebration with the Arlington County Police Department on June 15. It was an opportunity for police personnel to visit with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and team captain Alex Ovechkin — and, of course, to get their photo with the Cup.

“We can’t thank you enough,” Leonsis said. “We wanted to make sure that we had the opportunity to bring the Cup here, get some pictures and share in the joy.”

While they obviously play their home games in Washington, D.C., the Capitals have called Arlington their second home since 2006, when they moved their practice facility to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston.

First stop on the #StanleyCup tour of the area: an Arlington County Police Station right down the road from Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Owner Ted Leonsis said he wanted to make sure the Cup made its way here. #ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/7E1V7FYnRF

“We wanted to make sure that we had the opportunity to bring the Cup here … and share in the joy.”

After their visit with ACPD, Leonsis, Ovechkin and the Cup visited children in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and then stopped by the Fort Dupont Ice Arena in Southeast Washington, D.C.; the Fort Dupont Cannons is the oldest minority youth hockey program in North America.

]]>Donate Blood, Save a Life during the Arlington County Public Safety Blood Drivehttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/donate-blood-save-a-life-during-the-arlington-county-public-safety-blood-drive/
Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:18:05 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=17031ARLINGTON, Va — Arlington County’s emergency responders are dedicated to keeping the public safe and see first-hand how the need for blood affects our community. On July 9, the Arlington County Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department and Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management are partnering with Inova Blood Donor Services to host the annual summer Public Safety Blood Drive to help reduce the mid-summer blood shortage. Community members are asked to join public safety, roll up your sleeves and help save a life by donating blood.

]]>Arlington County Installs Permanent Drug Take-Back Boxeshttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-county-installs-permanent-drug-take-back-boxes/
Mon, 04 Jun 2018 13:47:27 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=16961ARLINGTON, Va. – Arlington County has taken a proactive measure in the fight against prescription drug abuse by installing three permanent drug-take back boxes. The public can now safely and securely dispose of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 day a year. This disposal service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.

This is a joint public safety project between the Arlington County Police Department and the Arlington County Fire Department.

“Opioid addiction and abuse is a public health crisis affecting communities across our Country and Arlington County is not immune to this issue” said M. Jay Farr, Chief of Police. “Last year, the total number of incidents involving opioids investigated by Arlington County Police rose 27%. That’s why we’re urging residents to take advantage of this potentially lifesaving program by regularly ridding your homes of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications.”

“The fire department is usually on the reactive end of the addiction epidemic, often called to undue the lethal effects of an opioid overdose” said James Bonzano, Fire Chief. “These collection boxes are a responsible way for the Arlington County community to get rid of unused prescription medications in their homes. Doing so can help prevent the pain and damage brought to those dealing with opioid addiction, as well as their family and friends. Please join us in this effort to reduce addiction in Arlington County by regularly dropping off any unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications you have in your home.”

]]>Arlington Fire Chief James Bonzano to Retirehttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-fire-chief-announces-retirement/
Fri, 04 May 2018 18:11:14 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=16377Arlington County Fire Chief James Bonzano will retire at the end of the summer, following a 34-year career in the Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD).

James Bonzano, Fire Chief

“Jimmy has dedicated his career and his life to Arlington County and the people who live and work here, and I thank him for all he has done in his more than three decades of service,” said Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz. “His commitment to strong and progressive leadership has ensured the safety of our community.”

“I was born in Arlington, and it has been my privilege to serve the community I love for 34 years,” said Bonzano. “The time has come to slow down and spend time with my family. I am honored to have led the dedicated men and women of the Arlington County Fire Department, and I am proud of what we have achieved together.”

Bonzano has served as Fire Chief since May 2016. He joined ACFD in 1984, and he has served and led in nearly every section of the department. Bonzano has served as Acting Assistant Chief, South Deputy Chief, Personnel Services Section Chief, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Battalion Chief. Following the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, he served as the EMS branch director for the emergency response.

During his career, he has forged partnerships with community and regional organizations in fire prevention and EMS programs. He serves on committees for both the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Northern Virginia Chiefs Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees at Dominion Hospital and as a Board Member for the Northern Virginia Community College EMS Program.